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- This is your mind on plants / by Pollan, Michael,author.;
Includes bibliographical references and index."From the #1 New York Times bestselling author Michael Pollan, a radical challenge to how we think about drugs, and an exploration into the powerful human attraction to psychoactive plants -- and the equally powerful taboos Of all the things humans rely on plants for--sustenance, beauty, fragrance, flavor, fiber--surely the most curious is our use of them is to change consciousness: to stimulate or calm, fiddle with or completely alter, the qualities of our mental experience. Take coffee and tea: people around the world rely on caffeine to sharpen their minds. We don't usually think of caffeine as a drug, or our daily use as an addiction, because it is legal and socially acceptable. So then what is a "drug?" And why, for example, is making tea from the leaves of a tea plant acceptable, but making tea from a seed head of an opium poppy a federal crime? In THIS IS YOUR MIND ON PLANTS, Michael Pollan dives deep into three plant drugs -- opium, caffeine, and mescaline -- and throws the fundamental strangeness, and arbitrariness, of our thinking about them into sharp relief. Exploring and participating in the cultures that have grown up around these drugs, while consuming (or in the case of caffeine, trying not to consume) them, Pollan reckons with the powerful human attraction to psychoactive plants, and the equally powerful taboos with which we surround them. Why do we go to such great lengths to seek these shifts in consciousness, and then why do we fence that universal desire with laws and customs and such fraught feelings? A unique blend of history, science, memoir, as well as participatory journalism, Pollan examines and experiences these plants from several very different angles and contexts, and shines a fresh light on a subject that is all too often treated reductively -- as a drug, whether licit or illicit. But that's one of the least interesting things you can say about these plants, Pollan shows, for when we take them into our bodies and let them change our minds, we are engaging with nature in one of the most profound ways we can. Based in part on an essay written more than 25 years ago, this groundbreaking and singular consideration of psychoactive plants, and our attraction to them through time, holds up a mirror to our fundamental human needs and aspirations, the operations of our minds, and our entanglement with the natural world"--- Subjects: Psychotropic plants.; Opium.; Mescaline.; Caffeine.;
- Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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- To name the bigger lie : a memoir in two stories / by Viren, Sarah,1979-author.;
"Part coming-of-age story, part psychological thriller, part philosophical investigation, this unforgettable memoir traces the ramifications of a series of lies that threaten to derail the author's life--exploring the line between truth and deception, fact and fiction, and reality and conspiracy. Sarah's story begins as she's researching what she believes will be a book about her high school philosophy teacher, a charismatic instructor who taught her and her classmates to question everything--in the end, even the reality of historical atrocities. As she digs into the effects of his teachings, her life takes a turn into the fantastical when her wife, Marta, is notified that she's been investigated for sexual misconduct at the university where they both teach. Based in part on a viral New York Times essay, To Name the Bigger Lie follows the investigation as it upends Sarah's understanding of truth. She knows the claims made against Marta must be lies, and as she uncovers the identity of the person behind them and then tries, with increasing desperation, to prove their innocence, she's drawn back into the questions that her teacher inspired all those years ago: about the nature of truth, the value of skepticism, and the stakes we all have in getting the story right. A compelling, incisive journey into honesty and betrayal, this memoir explores the powerful pull of dangerous conspiracy theories and the pliability of personal narratives in a world dominated by hoaxes and fakes. To Name the Bigger Lie reads like the best of psychological thrillers-made all the more riveting because it's true"--- Subjects: Autobiographies.; Personal narratives.; Viren, Sarah, 1979-; Conspiracy theories; Sex crimes.; Teachers; Truth.; Truthfulness and falsehood.;
- Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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- National Audubon Society Mushrooms of North America : the complete identification reference to mushrooms--with full-color photographs; detailed descriptions of cap, stem, flesh, and spore print; and authoritative notes on growth characteristics, habitat, and conservation status / by Cirigliano, Jim,1981-editor.; National Audubon Society,issuing body.;
"Updated for the first time in decades, this unparalleled reference work is the most comprehensive and authoritative guide to the mushrooms of North America, reflecting the impact of climate change and the advancements in DNA sequencing that have radically altered the classification process--from the creators of the world's most trusted field guides, a go-to source for millions of nature lovers. This volume is the result of a collaboration among leading scientists, scholars, taxonomic and field experts, photo editors, and designers. An indispensable resource, it covers 668 species, with nearly 2,900 full-color photographs, revealing the astounding variety of forms, colors, and conditions in which mushrooms manifest all throughout North America. For ease of use, the book includes a glossary, an index, and a ribbon marker, and is organized according to the latest phylogenetic arrangement from the Assembling the Fungal Tree of Life project. Each species features up to five vibrant photographs, to aid with identification, along with notes on range, season, spore print, look-alikes, conservation status, and more. Introductory essays explain the various parts of a mushroom--both above and below ground--common host trees, nomenclature and taxonomy, mushroom ecology, and the impacts of our changing climate"--- Subjects: Mushrooms;
- Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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- Trees of North America / by Cirigliano, Jim,1981-editor.; National Audubon Society,editor.;
"From the creators of the world's most trusted field guides--a go-to source for millions of nature lovers--comes a completely new and unparalleled reference work: the most comprehensive, authoritative, and up-to-date guide to the trees of North America. This master guide is the result of a collaboration between leading scientists, scholars, taxonomic and field experts, photo editors, and designers. An indispensable reference, it covers more than 700 species, with nearly 3,500 full-color photographs--including images of leaf shape, bark, flowers, fruit, and fall leaves. For ease of use, the book includes a glossary and a robust index, and is arranged according to the latest Angiosperm Phylogeny Group classification system--with trees sorted by taxonomic orders and grouped by family, so that related species are presented together. Readers will appreciate the crisp detail of the photographs, range maps (reflecting the impacts of climate change), the physical descriptions, information on fruit, habitat, uses, similar species, and an important new category on conservation status. Essays by leading scholars provide holistic insights into the world of trees. Whether putting a name to the towering conifers spotted along a hike, or trying to determine which pesky tree is encroaching on the patio, readers will come to rely on this work of remarkable breadth, depth, and elegance. It is a must-have reference for the library of any tree-peeper, and is certain to become the number-one guide in the field"--- Subjects: Forests and forestry; Trees;
- Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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- Crafting a better world : inspiration and DIY projects for craftivists / by Weymar, Diana,author.;
"From the climate crisis, to racism, to gun violence, to attacks on LGBTQ+ rights, the list of issues facing this country goes on and on, and it's only natural to feel anxious about the state of our union. Even if you vote, march, volunteer, and donate, feelings of hopelessness (and helplessness) still creep in. Crafting a Better World is a new kind of call to action: a guidebook for combatting fatigue and frustration with the handmade. Whether that's sewing a welcome blanket for new immigrants, or making a batch of 'vulva chocolates' to raise money at a bake sale for abortion access, this book will teach you how to transform your anxiety into action. Curated by Diana Weymar, the creator of the Tiny Pricks Project, who knows what it means to meld craft and activism. On Jan. 8, 2018, she stitched 'I am a very stable genius' (a Donald Trump quote) into a piece of her grandmother's abandoned needlework from the 1960s and posted it to Instagram. Since then, she's turned her embroidery practice into a material record of the trials facing this country and become a leading voice in the movement to save our democracy. Featuring essays, exclusive profiles of well-known creatives, and projects that readers can create by themselves or with their communities, this book is a means to stay engaged, make stuff, and hold ourselves together as we navigate this uncertain personal and political landscape."--- Subjects: Craftivism; Handicraft; Political art; Handicraft;
- Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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- Turning to birds : the power and beauty of noticing / by Taylor, Lili,author.;
"Most people don't really know birds--or rather, they aren't aware of them. Lili Taylor used to be one of those people. She knew birds existed. She thought about them, maybe even more than the average person. But she didn't know them. And then something happened. During a break from her work as an actor, Lili sought silence and instead found the bustling, symphonic world of birds that had always existed around her. Since then, she has kept a keen eye pressed to her binoculars in search of vivid stories that elevate the everyday, if only one pays attention. Through a series of beautifully crafted essays, Taylor shares her intimate encounters with the birds that have captured her heart and imagination--from tracking flitting Zorros through oak trees to spotting majestic Blue Jays perched on a Manhattan fire escape; from the exhilaration of chasing a migratory flock up the Empire State Building to the quiet joy of observing a nest of hatchlings in her own backyard. Through simply paying attention to birds, Lili has been shown a parallel world that is wider and deeper, one of constant change and movement, full of life and the will to survive. This book is part-memoir, part-love letter to the beauty and resilience of the natural world--a reminder of the profound connections that exist between all living things. Taylor's lyrical prose and thoughtful meditations on both the art we make and the art we discover around us create a sense of intimacy and wonder, inviting readers to see the world through new eyes and to find joy in the most unexpected places"--- Subjects: Biographies.; Autobiographies.; Personal narratives.; Taylor, Lili.; Actors; Bird watchers; Bird watchers; Bird watching; Human-animal relationships;
- Available copies: 0 / Total copies: 1
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Results 21 to 26 of 26 | « previous